Nici Wickes: Ready for The Dark Side

The darker side of the seasons means soup, puddings and more. Picture / Babiche Martens

I never quite understand the anguish that goes with the end of daylight saving. Sure, there's a certain appeal in being able to enjoy the lingering light after your work day but haven't we had enough of that by now? Aren't we tired of cooking outside, of grilled everything, of crisp white wine and ice cold lager, of the crunch of salads and the rawness of yet another seasonal vegetable?

I am. I'm ready for the darker side of the seasons. Because there are rich stews and casseroles ahead. And homemade dumplings. And slow-cooked roast dinners. And root vegetables. And gravy made with wine. And old-fashioned puddings that get saucy all by themselves. And the chance, free of guilt, to pop the top off the preserves. And steaming cups of cocoa to blow on before each careful sip. And soups, those steaming bowls of instant warmth.

In our cooking and eating we get to delve deeper at the end of each short day, having to each further for ingredients from which to draw each flavour and fragrance forth. And all this, in the darkness of an evening that takes you into its fold, cloaks you in a secrecy that seems to say, fear not, this too is part of the cycle of seasonality.